Hardware package for corner braces and the like



April 26, 1960 R. c. SEYFORTH HARDWARE PACKAGE FOR CORNER BRACES AND THELIKE Filed Oct. 30, 1956 1 til 6 )T:

v INVENTOR. ROME 6.6L 7P0)? TH *W A T T ORNE X5.

United States HARDWARE PACKAGE FOR CORNER BRACES AND THE LIKEApplication October 30, 1956, Serial No. 619,193

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-79) This invention relates to a package for items ofhardware on the order of corner braces, that is, in being generallyelongated and in having angularly related contiguous portions. Moreparticularly, the invention is concerned with a display card type ofpackage in which such items are held assembled with a plurality offastening elements for use with the same. A prior type of package usedfor a similar purpose consisted of a comparatively small card to whichtwo nested corner braces were attached such that corresponding legs ofthe braces extended outwardly from the face of the card and a pluralityof screws similarly projected from such card face. This arrangement,while supplying braces and screws as a functional unit for individualpurchase, was not particularly well-suited for display in counter boxesor on shelves since the package would not lie flat. Moreover, theprojection of the parts, espe cially the screws, often caused thepackage to become snagged in handling, for example, with other similarpackages in a counter display.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a displaypackage of the type in question which is free of the above-noteddisadvantages. More specific objects are to provide such a package whichmay be laid perfectly flat on a counter or shelf, if this be the meansof display; to guard the screws, Without employing a separate bagattached to the package or other added pieces; and to provide such animproved package at a reasonable cost.

The latter, very practical, objective involves the furtherconsiderations of ease of manufacture of the components used other thanthe hardware itself, the cost of such components, and the labor neededto assemble the package. My improved package is especially economical inthese respects.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrativeembodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but afew of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may beemployed.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the card of my new packageis formed;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a completely assembled package;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it is believed that the natureof the new package and its advantages may best be described by settingforth the manner of assembly of the various components, commencing withatent Q the blank shown in Fig. 1. This blank is a single piece ofcardboard or the like cut to the particular shape illustrated, so as tocomprise a substantially square major section 10, a lateral extension'11 of reduced width at one margin, a second extension 12 at an adjacentmargin of the main section 10, and a minor rectangular section 13 at theouter end of the extension 12.

Section 13 is as wide as the major section 10 but of less length, asmeasured in the direction of the lateral extension 12 which serves tobridge or connect the major and minor sections. The major section 10 isout along lines 14 and 15 to provide inwardly penetrating portions ofthe extensions 11 and 12, respectively, and such penetration is slightlylarger than the edge width of two comer braces in nested relation.

Extension 11 is provided with an inner fold line 16 at the ends of thecuts 14, two comparatively closely spaced fold lines 17 outwardly of theline 16 a predetermined distance, and an outer fold line 18 atapproximately the same spacing from the lines 17 as the inner line 16.The extension 12 is similarly provided with an inner fold line 19, twointermediate lines 20, and a line 21, the latter being at the junctionbetween such extension and the minor section 13. All of these fold linesare transverse and formed in any suitable manner, for example, bystamping of the material.

As noted previously, the penetration of the extensions 11 and 12, whichare oriented at right angles, is approximately the edge width of twonested corner braces; the lines 17 of the former and lines 20 of thelatter are spaced apart approximately the same distance, while thedistance from each such pair of lines to the two end fold lines in eachseries is approximately equal to the width of the legs of the braces.The blank is provided with a plurality of holes, a hole 22 being locatedin the outer end portion of extension .11, two holes 23 being formed inthe minor section 13 adjacent the outer edge of the same, and the majorsection It! having holes 24 laterally spaced apart the same as the holes23 and a series of holes 25 arranged, in this particular package, in tworows of four each.

As shown in Fig. 2, this package includes two conventional corner braces26 and eight screws 27, each brace having the usual two openings '28 ineach leg for fastening of the same by means of the screws. Assembly ofthe package is indeed simple and requires only one other component,namely, a thin flexible metal strip capable of forming a staple 29.

In the assembly procedure which is preferred for its convenience andspeed, the blank is laid against one face of a rectangular block, notshown here, having drilled holes in one corner area which correspond inspacing and arrangement to the holes 24 and 25 in the section 10 of theblank. The thickness of the block is equal to the Width of the cornerbraces. The main section 19 of the blank is arranged with its holes inregistry with the drilled holes of the block, and in this condition thefold lines 16 and 19 of the two side extensions will be positioned atadjacent block edges. The extensions are then folded downwardly aboutthe lines 16 and 19 to lie against the side faces of block, and the twocorner braces are disposed about the block corner overlying theseportions of the extensions, that is, the portions between the inner andintermediate fold lines in each case. The eight screws 27 are nextinserted through the holes 25, the drilled holes of the blockaccommodating the same, the extension 11 is folded back about the cornerbraces at its side so that its hole 22 is aligned with the hole 24 inthe main section of the blank nearest the same, and the minor section 13is folded back to overlie the screw heads and the extreme end portion ofthe extension 11. The extension 12 thus similarly is wrapped about thebraces at the other legs of 3 the same, and holes 23 of the section 13are aligned with the holes 24 in the section 10. The staple 28 is nextinserted downwardly through the latter and the complete assembly simplylifted from the block. It is then necessary only to crimp the ends ofthe staple to complete the job.

In this new package, the corner braces actually rest on edge on thecard, but at the margins of the latter due to the cutting back of theband-forming extensionsll and 12. The two nested braces are securelyheld to the card at both leg regions and the screws are, of course, heldin place by having the heads thereof engaged between the front and backfolds of the card as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Although the screwsproject from the front face of the card, their height in relation to thewidth of the braces (Fig. 3) and their disposition within the includedangle area of the same is such that the braces act as guardssubstantially eliminating any possibility of snagging.

Itt will also be apparent that the package can lie flat on a shelf orcounter. Since it may in some instances be desired to hang the packageon a rack, the main section is provided with an elongated cut-out 30 forpassage of a bracket, such as one of the loop members commonly used withpeg-board mounting panels. Since the back fold, or section 13, is not aslong as the front panel, the top of the card is of single thickness andonly this need be cut for the slot 30. With respect to the feature ofguarding the screws with the braces, other arrangements can be employedwithout loss of the same, for example, the screws could be positioned ina generally triangular array between the legs of the braces.

Briefly, my improved package thus comprises a card to which cornerbraces or other pieces of angular form and plural fastening elements arefirmly attached and fully supported with only one card fasteneremployed; the plural fastening elements are individually mounted, yetguarded by their particular relation to the braces and the like.

Other modes ofapplying the principle of'the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

1, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A hardware package comprising a display card having a front panel,two strap-forming extensions at adjacent margins of the same, and a rearpanel at the 'end of one such extension, the connections of bothextensions to the front panel being off-set inwardly of such margins .ofthe latter; an angular piece of hardware disposed against the frontpanel of the card with its angularly related portions respectivelywithin such adjacent margins thereof, said extensions being wrappedabout such portions with the rear panel and the free end of the otherextension brought against the opposite face of the front panel; aplurality of fastening elements intended for use with the hardware, saidelements having heads and being arranged to project through the frontpanel forwardly and in proximity to the piece of hardware; the heads ofthe elements being overlain by the rear card panel; and a staplesecuring the front and rear panels and such other extension together asthus arranged.

2. A hardware package comprising a display card having a front panel,two strap-forming extensions at adjacent margins of the same, and a rearpanel at the end of one such extension, the connections of bothextensions to the front panel being off-set inwardly of such margins ofthe latter; an angular piece of hardware disposed against the frontpanel ofthe card with its angularly related portions respectively withinsuch adjacent margins thereof, said extensions being wrapped about suchportions with the rear panel and the free end of the other extensionbrought against the opposite face of the front panel; a plurality offastening elements intended for use with the hardware, said elementshaving heads and being arranged to project through the front panelforwardly and in proximity to the piece of hardware, the heads of theelements being overlain by the rear card panel; and means securing thefront and rear panels and such other extension together as thusarranged.

3. A hardware package comprising a display card having a front panel,two strap-forming extensions at adjacent margins of the same, and a rearpanel at the end of one such extension, the connections of bothextensions to the front panel being off-set inwardly of such margins ofthe latter; an angular piece of hardware disposed against the frontpanel of the card with its angularly related portions respectivelywithin such adjacent margins thereof, said extensions being wrappedabout such portions with the rear panel and the free end of the otherextension brought against the opposite face of the front panel; and astaple securing the front and rear panels and such other extensiontogether as thus arranged.

4. A hardware package comprising a display card having a front panel,two strap-forming extensions at adjacent margins of the same, and a rearpanel at the end of one such extension, the connections of bothextensions to the front panel being offset inwardly of such margins ofthe latter; an angular piece of hardware disposed against the frontpanel of the card with its angularly related portions respectivelywithin such adjacent margins thereof, said extensions being wrappedabout such portions with the rear panel and the free end of the otherextension brought against the opposite face of the front panel; andmeans securing the front and rear panels and such other extensiontogether as thus arranged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,890,181 Hoffman Dec. 6, 1932 2,374,881 Murphy et a1. May 1, 19452,401,615 Chittum June 4, 1946

